Guys. I'm a little embarrassed to admit this (but, obviously, not embarrassed enough to keep myself from sharing it with The Internet):
Ke$ha is coming to Seattle for a concert, and I probably couldn't be more eager to attend. She's my favourite "guilty listening" music-- not too painfully offensive, and pretty fun.
I shared my enthusiasm with Aslan, who, good soul that she is, got excited with me. We should make a day of it, we agreed. We'd start out by "wak[ing] up in the morning feeling like P. Diddy," before "brush[ing our] teeth with a bottle of Jack." At some point during the day we'd have to get a "pedicure on our toes (toes)," and get all of our guy friends to call us, so we'd have "boys blowing up our phones (phones)." We'd "try on all our clothes (clothes)," be "playing our favourite CDs," and, obviously at some point, "trying to get a little bit tipsy." Roughly at the point that this happened, we would put some "glitter on our eyes," (at which point we'd probably feel "sick and sexy-fied"). Then, using handfuls of glitter I guess we'll have to bring along for the purpose, we will "throw some glitter, make it rain."
It has all elements of a great day: Friends, glitter, a theme, glitter, fun drinks, glitter, a good plan for the evening, and glitter.
Just try to tell me this isn't the best plan you've ever heard. Try. I dare you.
Now. I just have to scrape together the funds for a ticket! (I so hope I can manage.)
Tuesday, 24 May 2011
Thursday, 5 May 2011
Like Verbal Charades
As we were thinking of desirable dinner options...
Neptune: What about that dinner Grandmama likes to make? Bingo? Bongo?
A: What?
Neptune: You know. It starts with a B...
Me: Maybe you could describe it.
Neptune: Well, it's a soup with sausage in it. And it starts with a B... bongo?
A/me: Umm...
Neptune: It makes me think of an elephant.
A/me: WHAT?!
Neptune: You know, the elephant with the big floppy ears?
Me: Dumbo!
A/me: GUMBO!?
And thus, the mystery was solved.
Neptune: What about that dinner Grandmama likes to make? Bingo? Bongo?
A: What?
Neptune: You know. It starts with a B...
Me: Maybe you could describe it.
Neptune: Well, it's a soup with sausage in it. And it starts with a B... bongo?
A/me: Umm...
Neptune: It makes me think of an elephant.
A/me: WHAT?!
Neptune: You know, the elephant with the big floppy ears?
Me: Dumbo!
A/me: GUMBO!?
And thus, the mystery was solved.
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Spirit Week
Many schools around the country have a "spirit week" sometime during the school year. I'm not sure WHY, exactly, but I have no problem with amping ups spirits just for the hell of it. It is with precisely this mentality that the children and I decided to have our own Spirit Week this week (spring break).
Monday was Pajama Day. We forgot about spirit week until halfway through the day, at which point we hurriedly changed into our PJs. We spent the rest of the day at my apartment, baking cookies, playing with the cats, doing some crafts, playing some games, and reading some books. It was a beautifully chill afternoon. We followed this up by going out for pizza, so that we could have the delicious, scandalous thrill of being in public in our pajamas.
Tuesday was Crazy Hair Day. I'll post a picture of my own Crazy Hair (Clover styled it) soon, but for now you can just imagine. Neptune had a fauxhawk, one side sprayed blue, the other sprayed red. His "crest" was all sparkly. (Claire's hair dye, we love you!) Clover had a high ponytail that we gelled into a permanent waterfall (it looked like she had a jellyfish on her head). I gave her two little braids, which we sprayed with sparkles, and the rest of her hair was purple and blue. D'lightful. My hair was in high pigtails, and each pigtail was branched into several more pigtail tentacles. Each tentacle was a different colour. We. Looked. Awesome.
Wednesday is Sports Day, though only Neptune is adhering to that one. I don't own any sports clothes, and Clover would much rather be wearing "cute" clothes than her soccer jersey (much as she loves soccer).
Thursday is Crazy Hat Day-- very, very promising. There are paper mache hats drying on the dining room table, just waiting to be painted and displayed tomorrow. It didn't occur to me that *I* could make a paper mache hat as well, so I'll be relying on a Crazy Hat from home. My Moose hat, perhaps?
Friday is Totally Crazy Day. I have no idea what this will consist of, exactly, but I simply cannot wait to find out!
If you're an "IRL" friend of mine, undoubtedly pictures will be posted on FB soon.
And guys? Having spirit week, just for the fun of it? It's the best.
Monday was Pajama Day. We forgot about spirit week until halfway through the day, at which point we hurriedly changed into our PJs. We spent the rest of the day at my apartment, baking cookies, playing with the cats, doing some crafts, playing some games, and reading some books. It was a beautifully chill afternoon. We followed this up by going out for pizza, so that we could have the delicious, scandalous thrill of being in public in our pajamas.
Tuesday was Crazy Hair Day. I'll post a picture of my own Crazy Hair (Clover styled it) soon, but for now you can just imagine. Neptune had a fauxhawk, one side sprayed blue, the other sprayed red. His "crest" was all sparkly. (Claire's hair dye, we love you!) Clover had a high ponytail that we gelled into a permanent waterfall (it looked like she had a jellyfish on her head). I gave her two little braids, which we sprayed with sparkles, and the rest of her hair was purple and blue. D'lightful. My hair was in high pigtails, and each pigtail was branched into several more pigtail tentacles. Each tentacle was a different colour. We. Looked. Awesome.
Wednesday is Sports Day, though only Neptune is adhering to that one. I don't own any sports clothes, and Clover would much rather be wearing "cute" clothes than her soccer jersey (much as she loves soccer).
Thursday is Crazy Hat Day-- very, very promising. There are paper mache hats drying on the dining room table, just waiting to be painted and displayed tomorrow. It didn't occur to me that *I* could make a paper mache hat as well, so I'll be relying on a Crazy Hat from home. My Moose hat, perhaps?
Friday is Totally Crazy Day. I have no idea what this will consist of, exactly, but I simply cannot wait to find out!
If you're an "IRL" friend of mine, undoubtedly pictures will be posted on FB soon.
And guys? Having spirit week, just for the fun of it? It's the best.
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Saturday, 26 March 2011
Warm and Fuzzy
Yesterday, I went into the "girls' dressing room" (read: the music room) to do an energy warm up and give the girls a pep talk before their final performance. I couldn't stay long, but was eager to cheer them on. We all participated in a rousing rendition of shay shay koolay (srsly. I'll post a video. Just as soon as I figure out how to film myself, and then edit the video... So, never).
After said warm up, I was catching my breath and gathering my stuff to leave, when a woman got my attention. "You're great!" she said. "Are you a teacher?" My response was some garbled approximation of "No, not yet! Someday soonish, though!" And then... then she told me I would be a great teacher.
I'm not sure why it made me feel so warm and fuzzy. I don't know this woman from Adam (Eve?), and yet I was so touched by her words.
The thing is, I really hope to be a great teacher. And it's always nice to hear someone else say it's a real possibility.
After said warm up, I was catching my breath and gathering my stuff to leave, when a woman got my attention. "You're great!" she said. "Are you a teacher?" My response was some garbled approximation of "No, not yet! Someday soonish, though!" And then... then she told me I would be a great teacher.
I'm not sure why it made me feel so warm and fuzzy. I don't know this woman from Adam (Eve?), and yet I was so touched by her words.
The thing is, I really hope to be a great teacher. And it's always nice to hear someone else say it's a real possibility.
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Recently, I have been helping with Clover's 5th grade musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It's an ambitious undertaking-- 100 5th graders (most without previous theatre experience), 150 parts (so lots of costume changes), many props and set pieces, and not a whole lot of backstage space. There are songs, dances, and people turning into blueberries left, right, and centre (well, ok, only one person turns into a blueberry... but it SEEMS like a lot!).
Here's what it would sound like to be at a rehearsal with me:
Quiet off stage! Face the audience! React! Keep acting, even when you're not speaking! GOOD! EXACTLY! Louder! Speak more clearly, I want to understand you! Louder! Keep acting! Face the audience! QUIET OFF STAGE!
And so on.
Luckily, I also get to run warm ups, and that's the most fun of all. We do facial exercises: massaging the face, "chewing gum," making the face very big and then very small
tongue twisters/articulation exercises: red leather, yellow leather, good blood, bad blood. red leather, yellow leather, good blood, bad blood. Whether the weather is hot, or whether the weather is cold, we'll be together whatever the weather, whatever the weather may hold.
vocal warm ups: Saying to a spot as far away as possible, "I never said she bit my dog. I never said she bit my dog. I never said she bit my dog." and so on.
Best of all, energy warm ups: This is everyone's favourite. It's called shay shay cool aye, and is a repeat-after-me warm up. It's sort of a dance, and it's lots of fun. If I remember, I'll make a video, or take pictures of each step!
Tonight is opening-- I'm excited, and I know the kids are!
Here's what it would sound like to be at a rehearsal with me:
Quiet off stage! Face the audience! React! Keep acting, even when you're not speaking! GOOD! EXACTLY! Louder! Speak more clearly, I want to understand you! Louder! Keep acting! Face the audience! QUIET OFF STAGE!
And so on.
Luckily, I also get to run warm ups, and that's the most fun of all. We do facial exercises: massaging the face, "chewing gum," making the face very big and then very small
tongue twisters/articulation exercises: red leather, yellow leather, good blood, bad blood. red leather, yellow leather, good blood, bad blood. Whether the weather is hot, or whether the weather is cold, we'll be together whatever the weather, whatever the weather may hold.
vocal warm ups: Saying to a spot as far away as possible, "I never said she bit my dog. I never said she bit my dog. I never said she bit my dog." and so on.
Best of all, energy warm ups: This is everyone's favourite. It's called shay shay cool aye, and is a repeat-after-me warm up. It's sort of a dance, and it's lots of fun. If I remember, I'll make a video, or take pictures of each step!
Tonight is opening-- I'm excited, and I know the kids are!
Thursday, 10 March 2011
Interpretation is Key
I have recently started looking after an 8 month old (nickname to be determined). She is generally a cheerful, amiable baby, and I really enjoy spending time with her. She's very cute!
She is a baby, though, and babies cry. She has been ill, and so that means even more crying, usually about things I cannot fix. The crying can grate on the nerves, but I've found a method of dealing with it that makes me, at least, feel better.
I assign my own frustrations to her crying. As [baby] is sobbing away, I will coo to her, "Oh, I know! Climate change is so awful! What does the future hold?" or "Gah! I know! The glass ceiling is the frustration of so many American females!" All of this is said with in a soothing tone of voice, with an encouraging smile.
It's all in how you interpret what you hear.
She is a baby, though, and babies cry. She has been ill, and so that means even more crying, usually about things I cannot fix. The crying can grate on the nerves, but I've found a method of dealing with it that makes me, at least, feel better.
I assign my own frustrations to her crying. As [baby] is sobbing away, I will coo to her, "Oh, I know! Climate change is so awful! What does the future hold?" or "Gah! I know! The glass ceiling is the frustration of so many American females!" All of this is said with in a soothing tone of voice, with an encouraging smile.
It's all in how you interpret what you hear.
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